Wednesday 3 December 2014

So I Read Pretty Deadly: The Shrike

A 250 word (or less) review of Pretty Deadly Volume One.
By Kelly Sue DeConnick, Emma Rios, Jordie Bellaire, Clayton Cowles; Image Comics



I don't buy into the concept of there being a best comic or having an anointed favourite piece of media. It always strikes me as narrow-minded and numb to the reality that, in the face of variety, you really don't have to choose. That said, I totally buy into there being outstanding comics that everyone, EVERYONE has to at least try because they are just so profoundly good. Pretty Deadly is that fucking good. The comic tells a tale of supernatural vengeance and destiny in the Wild West and stars Deathface Ginny, a Reaper of Vengeance and the daughter of Death, and Sissy, a young urchin girl with an important fate. Pretty Deadly is a difficult comic to describe: it's such a unique and unexpected vision that relies, I think, partially on the engine of discovery. To explain Pretty Deadly here would be to rob the unfolding. What I can say is that every facet of this comic is virtually perfect: the dialogue sings in a way that is both lyrical and concise, the plot unwinds with the unpredictability and volatility of a serpent, and the artwork is as gorgeous, brutal, cerebral, and unexpected as anything I've seen. Pretty Deadly is one of those rare examples of a complete, total comic and is a testament to just how powerful collaboration can be. While, I might not believe in favourites, Pretty Deadly is now one of the benchmarks I use to judge all other comics. You absolutely have to read it.


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